I am He

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

I AM HE

John 18:1-9

18:1 When he had finished praying, Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley. On the other side there was an olive grove, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed him, knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. 3 So Judas came to the grove, guiding a detachment of soldiers and some officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were carrying torches, lanterns and weapons. 4 Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went out and asked them, "Who is it you want?"  5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. (And Judas the traitor was standing there with them.) 6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, "Who is it you want?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." 8 "I told you that I am he," Jesus answered. "If you are looking for me, then let these men go."  9 This happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled: "I have not lost one of those you gave me."   

NIV

As we read this, it is interesting how we can picture this area, having stood there not too long ago. From the Mount of Olives this small olive grove, known as the garden of Gethsemane, lies below and to the right as we look upon Jerusalem, and it is just a short walk across the Kidron Valley. However, these thoughts are not part of the narrative relating to us that Jesus and his disciples had gone to this place often and thus Judas would have been there too and so he knew Jesus would retire to this little olive grove. When Judas and the soldiers arrived, Jesus did not hesitate to ask who they were looking for, as if he did not know. Jesus took the lead in this exchange, drawing all their attention to him, which has to make us see, he did not want any of his disciples engaged at this moment, protecting them from the attention of the soldiers. As we can see in the last part of this narrative when we are told this happened so that the words he had spoken would be fulfilled. John recorded this statement of Jesus which we find in the sixth chapter. However, let’s look at what happened here in this olive grove. As Judas arrives, Jesus asks them who are they looking for and they say they are looking for Jesus of Nazareth. It is interesting they make the distinction he is from Nazareth. Nevertheless, Jesus makes one of those I AM moments. “I am he”. Judas was overwhelmed at that point. We would have to believe Judas came to some kind of realization of his evil behavior in his plot against Jesus. From all we know what happened in the life and death of Judas, it would make sense he felt shame and remorse over his involvement in the arrest of Jesus. But, by this time it was a done deal, the Pharisees had the support of the Roman soldiers, and Jesus was going to be in their grasp at last. After Judas had drawn back and fell to the ground, Jesus asked once more as to who it was they were looking for. Again they responded, “Jesus of Nazareth” at which Jesus made it clear to them he was that one, “I told you that I am he” and he also told them because they were looking for him, to let all his disciples go, not to arrest them. He was protecting them, as he does us. This is the part of the story where it gets personal for us. Jesus is the “I AM”. We have to go back to that which he said before.

John 6:35-40

35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." 

NIV

This is why he said to let his disciples go, and in that sense he has told the enemy who would arrest and destroy us, to let his people go. Just as Moses was a foreshadow of Jesus when he told Pharaoh, who had the people enslaved, to let my people go, Jesus tells the Pharisees to let his people go, and he tells Satan today, to let his people go. Jesus has set us free from bondage and he protects us from death. He will not lose us, he will not leave us nor forsake us. Because we look to the Son and believe in him we have eternal life and we will be raised up on the last day. All this happened and will happen because Jesus said, “I am he”